670 military kids get scholarships

Jun. 14, 2013 - 06:04PM
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More than $1 million in scholarships will be awarded to 670 military children in July through the “Scholarships for Military Children” program.

The $1,500 scholarships are funded by donations from members of industries that sell their products through commissaries. In the 13 years of the program, more than 7,500 students have received more than $11 million in college money through this merit-based program.

The number of scholarships varies by location and the amount of donations and qualified students. For example, 17 students who submitted their applications at the Fort Belvoir, Va., commissary will receive scholarships; as will 16 students who submitted applications at the commissaries on Fort Bragg; and three at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. A minimum of one scholarship is awarded at every commissary where qualified applications are received.

Fisher House Foundation underwrites all expenses for the program. “Supporting this program is an investment in education,” Jim Weiskopf, a vice president with Fisher House Foundation, said in a statement. “It is an investment in the military quality of life and an investment in our future.”

Matthew Schneck, one scholarship recipient, is ranked first in his class at Prince George High School in Prince George, Va., with a 4.88 grade point average. “It is truly an honor to have been selected as a scholarship recipient,” Schneck said in a scholarship program statement. “I have found the compass that will help me travel in the right direction — to my ultimate goal of becoming a trauma surgeon. I enjoy spending time in hospitals and volunteering with disabled veterans.”